SHE'S virtually a shadow of her former self, but comedienne Gina Yashere is absolutely "loving it" after making a new life for herself in Hollywood.

The 'in yer face' comic, who hails from London via Nigeria, has undergone a major transformation in more ways than one.

Not only has she shed an impressive four stone in weight, but Gina is now living and working in Los Angeles where she is carving out a career.

Happily for her UK fans, Gina will be heading back over the pond for a number of dates under the title of the 'Skinny B*tch!' tour, including a visit to Birmingham's Alexandra Theatre next Thursday May 22.

I caught up with Gina at her apartment in West Hollywood.

"I have been here for about eight months and I am loving it," she says. "I haven't been missing the snow or the frost at all."

So how did the former lift engineer, whose life changed after her comedy debut at the Edinburgh Festival in 1995, get to land her California gig?

"I've been coming out here for the last couple of years, checking things out, doing shows and stuff. But then I successfully auditioned for a television show called Last Comic Standing.

"I lasted about three weeks before the audience voted me off, but that got me a work visa and so I decided to stay."

In fact, her appearances on Last Comic Standing led to Gina becoming the first British comic to be invited onto HBO's Def Comedy Jam.

"I go down very well over here. My kind of comedy can travel. I'm not very deadpan or understated."

Gina says she lost most of her weight before going to the States.

"This is probably the worst country to be in if you want to lose weight. The food portions out here are humongous, so I tend to cook a lot myself."

The London comic is still getting herself known to American audiences, so much so that they can't believe she is British.

She adds: "They don't seem to realise that there are black people in England. It's very strange when I come on and open my mouth and they realise where I am from. I've actually written that into my act."

So how long will Gina stay in America? "Forever! I'd like to stay here permanently. I love the weather and I love the lifestyle. And the world is so small now that no matter how far away you are, you can always get on a plane every few months."

* Ticket info

Gina Yashere is at Birmingham's Alexandra Theatre on May 22 (08448 472294) and Warwick Arts Centre on May 30 (0247 652 4524).